Perfect Your Mixology At These 5 Hotel Bars
Traveling is a time for winding down and letting loose a little, so it’s hardly surprising that vacations and cocktails go hand in hand. Playing off of our natural inclination to hit the sauce while traveling, a number of hotel bars are offering mixology classes to guests and non-guests alike. Now, you can at least come away from your booze-soaked trip with more than just a hangover—you can come back with brand new bartending skills.
Purple Bar at Sanderson, London
In the theatrical surroundings of the Purple Bar, in the chic Phillipe Starck-designed Sanderson, you can have a hands-on lesson in the craft of cocktail making, learning the art of mixology step-by-step and mastering bar equipment. Classes cost £50 ($73) per person and include a Champagne cocktail upon arrival (you also get to drink the two cocktails you make).
What to drink (if money’s burning a hole in your pocket): The “Manhattan 1913,” made with the last bottle of pre-Prohibition McBrayer Bourbon 1913, Antica Formula and the traditional two dashes of Angostura Bitters (£360/$528).
ONYX Bar at Park Hyatt, Zurich
Two-hour cocktail classes for groups of two to 12 people are on offer at the 2014 Mixology Bar Award’s “Bar of the Year,” ONYX Bar. As well as perfecting your bartending, these classes delve into the history of bar culture and famous cocktails. The CHF 120 ($125) per person cover includes three cocktails (prepared by you) and an appetizer plate.
What to Drink: A barrel-aged cocktail. The barrels, which are made from French oak, are stored between three to six months depending on the cocktail or spirits